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Stanley Cup with both Lou & Schneids


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I was expecting the Canucks to be hovering around .500 with Booth and Kes out for the start of the season so, needless to say, I'm pretty happy with the results so far. But, what makes me really excited is to see this team when Booth and Kes come back! The Nucks are gonna be tough to be beat once everyone is back together and back on their game...

However, I find that I've had this same feeling for the last few years.... every year I'm impressed with the lineup and come playoffs, reality sets in again. We still get beaten up and lose to a lack of size, grit, scoring and depth. This year, with the unexpected performances from the 'unexpected' (Ballard & Mayray) coupled with Schroeds & Kass, we are that much closer, but still quite not there....

We need to add one top 9 forward to take us over the top, but I want to keep both Lou and Schneids for the playoffs as well. Hell, I'd like to keep the whole team intact and just add the key pieces for as little as possible or nothing...conundrum.

Goalies - great tandem

Defense - Top 4 will get there, there has definitely been gradual improvement each game. Garrison only has a handful of games with the Nucks, but I think he will be a force on the blue line.

- 3rd Line has been great and I wouldn't want to tamper with it Except with Ballard on the PP...

- Depth, we haven't really had a chance to analyze them this season... but I think it would be worth making a low ball offer to Campoli. He would add better depth to our blue line and we wouldn't have to give anything up to sign him (he's just signed in the Swiss League). He's obviously been blacklisted by the NHL for his role during the Lockout, but why should the Aquilinis give a fu@k? Lets put the Stanely Cup ahead of what other GM's would think about us (or him). And who knows? Campoli might thrive on a new team like Souray & Redden have been...

Forwards - A lot of our current players are able to move up and down the lines on the wing, so I think we're pretty good on depth here when Booth and Kes are back. But, we still need another piece.

- Schroed's been great, but we don't know how he's gonna do in the Playoffs. He definitely gives us an option up the middle and for a rookie, I'd prefer we use him for depth during the playoffs. Having said this, we could have a pretty fast 3rd line with him centering it, he played great tonight and 2 goals! I think he's earned his spot on the roster and should C Kes and Booth or the 3rd.

- 4th Line & Depth, trickle down effect with picking up a top 9.

What we need is a big 2-way C to allow Kes and the 2nd line to focus more on the offensive side of the game. What if we could pick up O'Reilly from Colorado with an offer sheet? Our top 3 C lines will be up there with the Penguins...

One possible look would be moving Kes to the wing where he has played well before, Booth / O'Reilly / Kes. This would be a dangerous line... And I'm sure MG will be able to fit his $900,000 Cap for this year. Next year, we could move Booth (or whoever isn't performing) to fit O'Reilly's new contract.

I know the odds are slim...to nil, but the Av's are cash strapped and they might not be willing to match an offer around $4-5 mill/season. If we could do this, than we don't have to make a move with either goalie until the offseason and greatly improves our team... add Campoli (for nothing) and I'm good with the Defense, Forwards, Goalie situation and Depth.

If MG doesn't want to make an offer...we should consider a trade. If they don't want Lou's contract, a 3-way? Ignoring Division issues ;)

Goalie: Lou & Schneids

Defense: Same

Forwards:

Sedins / Burr Sedins / Burr

Booth / O'Reilly / Kes Booth / Kes / Kass

Mayray - Higgy / Schroeds / Hansen - Kass Higgy / O'Reilly / Hansen

Lappy / Manny / Hansen - Kass Lappy / Manny / Pini? Volp?

***Pending Schroeds and Kes & Booth***

Sedins / Burr

Booth / Schroeds / Kes

Higgy / O'Reilly / Kass - Hansen

Lappy / Manny / Kass - Hansen

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That's odd...usually, one sees goalies threads disguised as lineup threads...this is the opposite. Anyways, here are my current healthy lineup:

Sedin-Sedin-Kassian

Booth-Kesler-Burrows

Raymond-Schroeder-Hansen

Higgins-Lapierre-Malholtra/Wiese

Hamhuis-Bieksa

Edler-Tanev

Ballard-Garrison

Schnieder/Luongo

Personally, I think we should trade Luongo while his stock is still sky-high, but we should still try to get a decent goalie in return. We should look for a solid top-4 right-handed defenseman to play with Edler, and a high pick or two (to be traded at the deadline) or another big, top-6 playmaking centre/winger.

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Vandemeer and Barker > Campoli

O'Reilly's great but we have no cap room, especially not for next year. Schroeder is playing a great two way game and deserves to stick around on the third line when Kesler returns.

Sedin-Sedin-Burrows

Booth-Kesler-Kassian

Raymond-Schroeder-Higgins

Volpatti-LaPierre-Hansen

Edler Hammuis

Bieksa Garrison

Ballard Tanev

Luongo

Schneider

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That's odd...usually, one sees goalies threads disguised as lineup threads...this is the opposite. Anyways, here are my current healthy lineup:

Sedin-Sedin-Kassian

Booth-Kesler-Burrows

Raymond-Schroeder-Hansen

Higgins-Lapierre-Malholtra/Wiese

Hamhuis-Bieksa

Edler-Tanev

Ballard-Garrison

Schnieder/Luongo

Personally, I think we should trade Luongo while his stock is still sky-high, but we should still try to get a decent goalie in return. We should look for a solid top-4 right-handed defenseman to play with Edler, and a high pick or two (to be traded at the deadline) or another big, top-6 playmaking centre/winger.

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Vandemeer and Barker > Campoli

O'Reilly's great but we have no cap room, especially not for next year. Schroeder is playing a great two way game and deserves to stick around on the third line when Kesler returns.

Sedin-Sedin-Burrows

Booth-Kesler-Kassian

Raymond-Schroeder-Higgins

Volpatti-LaPierre-Hansen

Edler Hammuis

Bieksa Garrison

Ballard Tanev

Luongo

Schneider

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Why do you want to break up a 3rd line that has produced well this season and been defensively responsible? The line of Raymond, Schroeder, and Hanson are playing great together. Each player has points and even more have great plus/minus ratings. Essentially we'll have a decent looking second line for a third line and a great third line (Higgins, Lappy, Malholtra/Weiss/Volpatti) for a forth line. Having a second line of Booth, Kesler, Kassian would also be sick. Have you seen Kassians vision? He can be that play maker for that line.

The only trade that I think would be made is lou or schnieds and booth for a second line playmaker prospects and good picks

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While its possible to win with both goalies, I think our chances are better with half the money spent on a Willie Mitchell type dman and/or physical top six playmaker with either goalie remaining.

Lu's performance right now/his on ice demeanor says to me that with the help of a gritty crease clearing big minute dman we could have playoff success.

And to be honest I havnt seen that until his recent run in a long time.

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That's odd...usually, one sees goalies threads disguised as lineup threads...this is the opposite. Anyways, here are my current healthy lineup:

Sedin-Sedin-Kassian

Booth-Kesler-Burrows

Raymond-Schroeder-Hansen

Higgins-Lapierre-Malholtra/Wiese

Hamhuis-Bieksa

Edler-Tanev

Ballard-Garrison

Schnieder/Luongo

Personally, I think we should trade Luongo while his stock is still sky-high, but we should still try to get a decent goalie in return. We should look for a solid top-4 right-handed defenseman to play with Edler, and a high pick or two (to be traded at the deadline) or another big, top-6 playmaking centre/winger.

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O'Reilly would be sick. I love the way Ballard's played this year so far but if we signed O'Reilly to an offer sheet of say Keith's contract, then he will have to go. And when Kesler and Booth get back and everyone plays to their abilities...

Sedin - Sedin - Burrows

Booth - Kesler - Kassian

Raymond - O'Reilly - Schroeder

Higgins - Lapierre - Hansen

Malhotra, Volpatti, Weise

Hamhuis - Edler

Garrison - Bieksa

Vandermeer - Tanev

Schneider

Luongo

:mellow:

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Vandemeer and Barker > Campoli

O'Reilly's great but we have no cap room, especially not for next year. Schroeder is playing a great two way game and deserves to stick around on the third line when Kesler returns.

Sedin-Sedin-Burrows

Booth-Kesler-Kassian

Raymond-Schroeder-Higgins

Volpatti-LaPierre-Hansen

Edler Hammuis

Bieksa Garrison

Ballard Tanev

Luongo

Schneider

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Why do you want to break up a 3rd line that has produced well this season and been defensively responsible? The line of Raymond, Schroeder, and Hanson are playing great together. Each player has points and even more have great plus/minus ratings. Essentially we'll have a decent looking second line for a third line and a great third line (Higgins, Lappy, Malholtra/Weiss/Volpatti) for a forth line. Having a second line of Booth, Kesler, Kassian would also be sick. Have you seen Kassians vision? He can be that play maker for that line.

The only trade that I think would be made is lou or schnieds and booth for a second line playmaker prospects and good picks

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I think we actually have decent size now. If you throw Kass on a line with Raymond and Schroeder, they will not get pushed around. Or put Kass on the first line with the Sedins to give them space to work magic. I think of the line of Booth, Kass and Kes. Holy sheep shid thats a whole lotta size to put on one line. Thats like three big power fowards on one line lol. Most teams would like to have just one of those and we got three. If they have chemistry then sure, but we may have to spred that beef around the top three lines. Just like having two number one goalies, its kind of a nice problem to have. So far the only thing we seem to be lacking is a power play quarter back type of defencemen. I know we got Garrison and Edler but so far they arnt getting it done on the PP. AV had Daniel Sedin on the point on the PP which should say a lot about what the coaching staff thinks of our defencemen on the PP.

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